Fayette school board 2.20

Fayette’s board of education looked at a plan Monday night that should help relieve traffic congestion when the new school opens later this year.

Jim Price of the Buehrer Group architectural firm presented a drawing for a second entry drive onto the school property off County Road R.

The second drive would intersect the front parking lot on the west edge and serve as a convenient entry for parents driving students to school.

Drivers will be able to drop children off in front of the school, then loop around and leave by the same drive, without entering the main traffic path used by school buses and students who are driving themselves to school.

The second drive will enhance safety by splitting up traffic flow, Price said, and it will provide another entry in the case of an accident in the main entrance.

The second drive will be bid as part of the final paving project, but if the cost is too high, funds from the building project contingency fund could be used. About a quarter million dollars of the original $682,000 contingency remains, Price said, and that includes the cost of the storage tank for fire fighting.

“We’re doing very well in that respect,” he said.

Eighty percent of what isn’t used in the contingency fund will go back to Columbus, noted superintendent of schools Russ Griggs.

A long-term goal calls for construction of a road at the back of the school that would connect with Rehn Drive to the west, Griggs said.

BIDS—Board members gave Price the authority to send out specifications for the final two bid packages for the new school.

Bids will be accepted for the top coat paving in the drive and parking lot, striping in the parking areas and the construction of the second drive.

The second package will cover landscape plantings.

The only bid package remaining—though not part of the new school—is the demolition of the old buildings. According to the agreement with DH Holdings, buildings are to be leveled within three months of completion of the new school, Price said, although there’s a possibility for an extension of the deadline.

Price said pricing on a 15,000 gallon submerged water tank for use by the fire department came in at $55,767. The state facilities building program approved the engineering plan and a building permit has been obtained.

School board members scheduled a tour of the new school at 5:45 p.m. before the regular March 17 meeting at 7 p.m.

STEP BY STEP—Wyatt Stevens of Morenci makes his way across a rope bridge Sunday during the Michigan DNR’s Great Outdoors Jamboree at Lake Hudson Recreation Area. The Tecumseh Boy Scout Troop constructed the bridge again this year after taking a break in 2016. The Jamboree offered a variety of activities for a wide range of age groups. Morenci’s Stair District Library set up activities again this year and had visits with dozens of kids. See the back page for additional photos.

LEADING THE WAY—The Morenci Area High School marching band led the way across the pedestrian bridge on Morenci’s south side for the annual Labor Day Bridge Walk. The Band Boosters shared profits from the sale of T-shirts with the walk’s sponsor, the Morenci Area Chamber of Commerce. Additional photos are on the back page.

LOOKING UP—More than 200 people showed up at Stair District Library Monday afternoon to view the big celestial event with free glasses provided by a grant from the Space Science Institute. The library offered craft activities from noon to 1 p.m., refreshments including Cosmic Cake from Zingerman’s Bakehouse and a live viewing of the eclipse from NASA on a large screen. As the sky darkened slightly, more and more people moved outside to the sidewalk to take a look at the shrinking sun. If you missed it, hang on for the next total eclipse in 2024 as the path comes even closer to this area.

THE MAYOR—Cecil Schoonover poses with a collection of garden gnomes that mysteriously arrive and disappear from his property. Along with the gnomes, someone created the sign stating that he is the Mayor of Gnomesville. He hasn’t yet tracked down the people involved in the prank, but he’s having a good time with the mystery.

TAKE A BREAK—Last Wednesday’s session of Stair District Library’s Summer Reading Program ended with a quiet period in a class presented by yoga instructor Melany Gladieux of Toledo. Children learned a variety of yoga poses in the main room at the library, then finished off the session relaxing. Additional photos are on page 7. Area children are invited to visit the library today when the Michigan Science Center presents a flight program at 11 a.m. and roller coasters at 1 p.m.

THE DERBY—Tyler “Smallpox” Flakne of Minnesota’s Home Run League All-Stars goes for the fence Friday night during the National Wiffle League Association’s home run derby in Morenci. This year the wiffleball national tournament moved from Dublin, Ohio, to Morenci’s Wakefield Park. During the derby, competitors had two minutes to hit as many home runs as possible. The winner this year finished with 21. See page 6 and 7 for additional photos.

OUT OF THIS WORLD—Elizabeth McFadden and Elise Christle pose in front of the green screen as VolunTeen Noah Gilson makes them appear as though they are standing on the Moon. More photos from the Stair District Library’s NASA @ My Library program are on page 12.

FIREWORKS erupt Saturday night over Morenci’s Wakefield Park during the waning hours of the Town and Country Festival. Additional festival photos are inside.